Dumfries Prison staff have been praised for their handling of two coronavirus outbreaks during the Covid-19 pandemic.
However prisoners were denied “core human rights” when visiting was suspended during the second outbreak and the building itself is in need of updating.
Those were the findings of a recent Chief Inspector of Prisons for Scotland report which praised the leadership of the facility during the outbreaks.
The report states: “HMP Dumfries was the first prison in Scotland to suffer a Covid-19 outbreak in March 2020 and a second more severe one in February 2021.
“However, there were no positive cases amongst prisoners between these two outbreaks, and the resilience, professionalism and flexibility shown by SPS and NHS staff in responding to the pandemic, particularly the second outbreak, is highly commendable.
“Positive relationships between staff and prisoners helped when large parts of the prison had to be put into full lockdown during the second outbreak.
“The Governor in Charge is a strong and capable leader who deserves credit for her team’s management of this second outbreak when at times there were very few staff, including senior management, available to maintain the service.”
The report added: “Regrettably, however, prisoners went without core human rights when they were denied access to fresh air and virtual visits were suspended during the second outbreak.
“This occurred for lengthy periods on the advice of Public Health Scotland and the local Incident Management
Team.
“While efforts were made to protect core human rights, the continual resetting of the clock with regard to periods of isolation following contact with suspected Covid cases meant that some prisoners were subject to extreme restrictions for weeks at a time.”
Dumfries Prison is described as “Victorian” and has a history of water ingress and remedial work is required.
The report continues: “HMIPS welcome the planned development of a new accessible cell later this year, but HMP Dumfries will still be left with a number of old fashioned residential areas, some without in-cell sanitation or showers, and a limited number of accessible cells.
“All of this is out of step with what might be expected in a 21st century prison system.”
“We wish the Scottish Government and the SPS to bring to fruition long-standing aspirations for the development of a more modern facility.”
